


Just a Hug

by Rockyroll



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, FIx It, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-15 16:03:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13034613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rockyroll/pseuds/Rockyroll
Summary: I just needed Jug and Betty to work some things out, so I wrote this for myself but I figured some of you might like it too. Let me know if you want me to continue.Also, I’m stalled on my other fic...I written and deleted the next chapter a few times and I just can’t decide where I want to go from there...so I’m avoiding it and wrote this one instead. Sorry!Also, it’s not edited much. Sort of just needed to get my feeling out there so sorry about typos.





	1. Chapter 1

There's a part of Betty that knows it's not because of her, but for her. And she knows he believes that. He's protecting her like she protected him, but at least he's being honest about it when she couldn't before.

But there's the underlying issue about why he has to protect her and why she can't be his support system. She knows this problem too well because she has it too. It's their common ground and its their weakness. They need to be needed and neither can let the themselves fully trust the other...not with the important things. And everything that has happened has only spread the trust they had in each other impossibly thin.

While it may be true that they're drawn to each other. That she craves his touch, his smile, his wit. That he yearns for her gentle kisses, her expressive eyes and her fierce determination. They've broken each other and the chasm between them feels insurmountable.

It all hurts so much, but there is pleasure in pain and Betty is a masochist when it comes to the sweet pain he doles out.

She just needs him once. She just needs to smell him, to rest her cheek against his warm neck, to press her fingers into his firm back. She just wants a hug.

That's what she tells herself as she stalks over to his table where he's sitting with the other serpents.

He doesn't notice her as she's walking up, engrossed in a conversation with Fangs and Sweet Pea, and that hurts a little too because there was a time when he cared enough to look for her, to be aware of her.

“Jug,” his name is a whisper and so she tries again with a hand on his shoulder. “Jughead.”

He whips around, brushing her hands off his shoulder forcefully and standing up in one smooth motion.

“Betts.” His expression softens, but only a fraction when he sees its her. “What do you want?”

“Oh! I just...can I talk to you for a minute?”

He looks at her hard for a moment.

“You still have 6th period free.”

“Yes”

“See you in the Blue and Gold room.” And then he turns around and begins speaking quietly to Sweet Pea as if she never interrupted him.

  
When the bell rang just after fifth period Betty made a beeline for the restroom. She took down her hair and reapplied her lipgloss and pinched her cheeks. “just a hug” she murmured to herself before she left and made her way down the hall to the blue and gold room.

When she got there, the lights were off and when she flicked them on to find the room empty. The bell for the beginning of sixth period ran and she assumed he would be there any minute.

Needing to keep busy, she took out her pre-cal homework while she waited. Ten minutes later she had finished the assignment, so she took out her English paper and reread it for any errors.

Forty five minutes into sixth period Jughead still had not shown up and Betty realized she had been stood up.

Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to give into them.

She managed to get through last period and cheer practice without letting them fall, but the pressure behind her eyes was just too much. In a rush to get home before the floodgates opened, Betty skipped a shower and left with her uniform still on, managing to slide past the rest of her teammates without speaking to them.

Even with her parka on over her cheerleading uniform, the February Riverdale air was bone chillingly cold. She buried her hands in her pockets and took off in a brisk pace towards home.

With no school work to distract her and the adrenaline from cheer practice ending, she found the tears held at bay for the last few hours refused to be held back any longer. They fell hot on her face but cooled as they reached her neck.

Cars passed by and she was afraid someone from school might recognize her, so she hid her face and walked in the ditch instead of the sidewalk as the sky darkened. With the tears in her eyes she didn't notice the thick root and she went down hard. She wasn't really hurt, but it was the last straw. She curled up next to the tree and cried hard into her scarred hands. Feeling the sting of salt in her recent wounds just made her cry harder. Of course he didn't want her, as damaged as she was.

She heard a car pull into the grass close to her and she wanted to shrink in embarrassment. It was probably Veronica or one of the other girls from practice, but she didn't want anyone seeing her so weak and vulnerable.

She heard footsteps approaching and she stood up, shielding her face. “its okay  
I'm okay.” she tried to reassure the newcomer.

“No, Betts, it doesn't look like you are.”

Her sob caught in her throat and his hands brought hers to his chest.

“I'm so sorry Betty” he murmured into her hair. His jacket was open and he pulled her into his warmth. Her hands wrapped around his waist and his went to either side of her face. “I'm here for you now. What did you want to talk about?”

Betty vacillated between anger and tenderness for a moment, but she was too tired to be angry. All she had left was sadness.

“Juggie.” She cried and more tears ran down her face.

“yeah?” he wiped them away as they rolled out of her green eyes, still so beautiful even if they were red -rimmed and glassy.

“I just needed a hug. I needed...need a hug. From you.”

Now the tears were rolling of his eyes and he screwed his face up and looked away for a minute as he tried to gain control of himself.

“I think i can do that. Let's go somewhere warm and I'll hug you until you tell me to let you go.”

He took her by the hand and led her to FP’s truck.

They drove back to school and Jughead parked in a secluded part of the lot. He held his arm out to her and she slid across the bench seat. She leaned her shoulder against his and he gave her a gently squeeze before pulling back and showing her his signature smirk. “This isn't much of a hug. Come here.”

Without hesitation, she climbed into his lap and he guided her legs so that she straddled him. She immediately wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her nose into his neck.

He shivered. “Shit your nose is cold.”

She giggled and he brought his head up and gently guided hers to look at him.

“I'm sorry I didn't show up today. I needed a minute to get myself together and then Señora Marks caught me in the hall when I was supposed to be in her class and then I had detention. I would have skipped it, but I figured I'd catch you after practice. I'm rambling… and making excuses.”

“Jug I thought you had a free period too, i never would have asked you to cut class.”

“i know.” He smirked and dipped his forward to hers.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, breathing the same air, eyes closed and hearts pounding.

“You warm?” he finally asked. She buried her face back into his neck. And he heard a muffled “mmhhmm” from the collar of his jacket. “okay if i turn off the engine for a few minutes?”

She repeated her murmurings. He lifted her a bit so they were more in the middle of the bench seat and the steering wheel wouldn't dig into her back and then turned off the ignition.

“Talk to me, Betts.” He murmured into her ear. She whined but pulled away enough to make eye contact with him.

“i know we can't be together. I'm starting to realize that you're right. We're better apart.” her voice broke a little and his hands went to her hips and squeezed a little. His sigh had a break in it too.

“the truth is,” she went on, “i don't want you to have to worry about me when you have so much going on - your parents and Jellybean, the Serpents. You can't afford a weak spot and I need you to be safe too.”

Jughead sighed and looked out the window. Breaking up had been his idea, but her agreeing with him hurt more than he anticipated.

“is that why you wanted to talk” he tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but it slithered in anyway.

“Jug! How are you upset with me? And, no, I just needed one more hug.” she squeezed him with her legs and gripped his shoulders as if to show him what she meant, unwittingly drawing his body tightly against hers.”

“I'm not. I'm sorry. I'm upset with...everything.”

“everything? Does that include me?”

He sighed, “Betty. Let's not get into that tonight. Can't we just…”

“No, Jug,” she interrupted angrily. “If this is it? If this is all I get with the love of my life? If this is goodbye, than I need more than your evasive non-answers.” her cheeks were suddenly flushed pink and her palms gently shoved at his chest. “so let me have it. What did I do that made you so mad that I'm not worth it anymore.”

She wanted a reaction, but so far he still just looked morose. “You know that’s not…”

“What am I supposed to do now? You want me to date other guys? You want me to show them my scars and let them kiss them?” she holds her palms out to him for emphasis. She can see that he's breathing more heavily now, she's getting to him and she's glad. More than that, she feels powerful. She loves that she can get under his skin so easily. She wants him to react to her - her words and her body. She rolls her hips forward.

“Who do you want me to give my virginity to Juggie? If it's not you,” she slid her heat over his crotch and his mouth hardened as he thrust up to meet her. “Reggie? Trevor?”

“God damnit, Betty. Fine. You want to hear what I have to say?” he slipped his fingers up her cheerleading shirt and into her bra and cupped the bottoms of her breasts.

“yes, tell me Jug,” she lifted her head and arched her back into his hands.”

“I'm upset because you didn't trust me enough to help with the Black Hood,” he leaned into her exposed neck, “I'm fucking pissed that you broke up with me via Archie” he bit her neck and pinched both nipples and then soothed them with the backs of his fingers.

“and then you went and showed off your beautiful body, that you won't even let me see to my dad and the serpents.”

“you didn't like it all?” she pouted a little.

“honestly, Betty, no.” she leaned back as though she'd been struck.

“betty, I love your body, I just hated seeing you degrade yourself like that, even for me. I never wanted that for you. God, would you let anyone else do that? What would you have said if Polly did that for Jason? If Veronica did it for Archie? Can’t you see how fucked up that is?”

Betty’s tears came back in full force and she hung her head. “I know. I’m sorry. I was..I was desperate Jug. I wanted you in my life. I was losing you and I just...acted without thinking. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. And now I’ve lost you anyway.”

“No,” he said forcefully, he brought her chin up gently so he could meet her eyes, “you will never lose me. I’ve never wanted anyone before you and I’ll never want anyone after you.”

She arched an eyebrow, “not even Toni,” she couldn’t help but ask.

He smirked, “God, you’re cute when you’re jealous.”

“I have to know Jug. What did it feel like when you were with her?”

He chuckled, “it felt...like a mistake. I felt like i should try to lose myself in someone else, because you had hurt me and that’s what I was supposed to do. But, she smelled all wrong and her lips were too hard. She tried to rub her body on me, and I let her, but I couldn’t even get hard.”

Betty was caught between an angry, jealous flush and a self-satisfied tug of her lips. “Do I get you hard?” She asked timidly.

“Do you get me hard?” He shook his head and laughed. “See for yourself” he took her hand and kissed it before bringing it down his neck, chest, stomach and finally over the stiffness below. She squeezed in lovingly and looked up into his eyes, one corner of her bottom lip between her teeth.

“What about you, Betty?” As he spoke he continued to guide her hand up and down his shaft through his jeans. “Did you get wet when you kissed Archie.”

Her visceral reaction was adorable, “ugh, no! I don’t even know what that was. How did you hear about that?”

“Cheryl.”

“Oh. Weird...no, Jug it was about as passionate as kissing my grandfather, really.”

“Oh, great, no I have to compete with your grandfather too,” he rolled his eyes cheekily. She rolled her eyes back. “That’s good,” he got serious again, “because in answer to your earlier question, no, Betty. I do not want you giving your virginity to anyone else, but I don’t see what choice I have. We can’t stay together and you’re not ready to have sex.”

“Says who?” She asked, squeezing his erection indignantly.

He looked confused for a minute. “How far have you gone before...before me? I’ve only touched your breasts. Have you gone further than that with anyone else?”

“No.” She blushed prettily, “but I you know…”

“Masturbate?’

“Yeah.”

“Holy fuck” he closed his eyes for a minute. “Okay, trying not to picture that too much right now.” He blew out his breath as Betty flicked away the hand that was still guiding hers over his shaft and began to draw her fingers up to rub his sensitive tip. “What do you, shit, what do you use? Like fingers?”

“Sometimes. And I...I have a toy.” She started unbuttoning his pants.

“What happened to just hugging?”

“What is a hug, really, except my body wrapped around yours.” She teased and drew down the zipper of his jeans.

“Betts,” he sighed in that final and resigned way that meant they were done playing. She sighed and pulled away from him, sitting next to him on the bench seat. She missed his heat and smell already.

They were silent for a moment and her tears started to build up again. How many times would she throw herself at him and be rejected.

He reached for her hand. “Betty. I meant what I said in my note on your present and everything else I’ve said today. You ARE the only woman, fuck the only person, I want in my life, but I can’t right now. I can’t keep you safe and I know you hate when I say that. I know it makes you feel like I can’t trust you, and maybe that’s what it is. Because I’ve never been able to rely on anyone except for you and it scares me, but...Do you think?” He looked away.

“What, Juggie?”

“Will you wait for me? I know I don’t have a right to ask you.”

“What happened to ‘until it sticks’” she arched her eyebrow at him.

“Well,” he looked bashful, “I may have overreacted a little. Maybe ‘until I can take care of you the way you deserve’ would have been more appropriate.”

She thought for a moment and Jughead was starting to get nervous, priming himself for disappointment.

“I only want you, but Juggie, I don’t want to wait too long.” He hung his head.

“So that’s a no.”

“What? No! That’s a...yes! It’s a ‘hurry up’, but with a ‘yes’ attached.” She laughed, but Jughead looked worried.

“I don’t know how long…”

“Jug,” she interrupted. “We go to the same school now. We’ll see each other. Can we...can we just see each other in secret?”

“I don’t know Betty, it’s just so risky,” he was already shaking his head.

“Okay, what if it’s not...every day or even every week. Can you give me once a month? Just a fifteen minutes to touch you and hold you?”

“God, has anyone ever told you how determined you are?” He smiled at her.

“It might have been mentioned once or twice.”

“Fine,” he sighed dramatically, “you win, you minx, I won’t withhold my body from you more than once a month.”

And then, finally, he leaned in for the kiss she had missed so much and she nearly wept from it’s intensity.

She pulled back and sighed. “I really need to get home, Jug. Cheer practice ended an hour ago, my mom will start to wonder.”

They got back in their seats and Jughead restarted the car. “I’ll drive you back, it’s too cold for you to walk.” Once she was buckled he reached for her hand, they may as make use of the time they had.

“Betts, if we’re going to do this, I want you to promise no one else will no. Not Veronica or Kevin. Shit is too dangerous. And, I’m not even sure how safe it will be for us call or text. Are you sure you want to do this? I can’t be with you properly…”

“Juggie, I’ll take any of you I can get. Anytime we need to send a message to each other, we’ll put it a book in the library.”

“Okay,” he agreed. It needs to be a book nobody ever checks out though.

“Right, except for us.”

“War and Peace? Not many High School Students want to read something so pedantic.”

“Yeah, but it’s on the suggested reading list. You never know.”

“How about Nightmare Abbey?”

“It’s perfect.”

 

Thus began the slow unraveling of Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones’ loss of virginity, given in monthly pieces to each other.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I set out to write a romantic rendezvous between Jug and Betty, but then I remembered how much I missed them working as a team and this happened and I think I kind of like it! 
> 
> Don't worry, though, Jug and Betty will still be investigating each other too!
> 
> Sorry for errors... I'm lazy.

Betty very nearly skipped into school the next day. It would be a long month, but there was something to look forward to. She couldn't help the hope that filled her smile.  

 

Somehow the halls even seemed rose tinted. She made her way through the crowds of her classmates to her locker, moving the combination automatically and reaching in without really looking. When her hand connected with something cool and smooth she gasped. Inside was a delicate vase of fully blooming lillies, her favorite flower.  Her heart hammered. How did Jughead get them in her locker? She didn't think her mood could be any brighter that morning. How romantic and daring of him, if they were supposed to be keeping their relationship a secret. 

 

Her sunny disposition dulled a shade as she read the card, however. 

 

“Happy Valentine's Day. Meet me under the bleachers during lunch. J”

 

Everything was wrong with the note. The handwriting, the “J” at the end, the  _ bleachers?  _ That would be the last place Jug would want to rendezvous.  So who would send the flowers and why? 

 

She pinched a white bud off one of the flowers, but left the vase as she shut her locker and took the long way to pre-calculus. She wanted to make sure she passed by Jughead’s locker. She saw him as she neared and when she caught his eye she saw the question in his eyes. He took a chocolate out of a heart shaped box and popped it into his mouth with an arched brow. She shook her head slightly and brought the rose bud to her ear and tucked it behind. He frowned a little and shook his head back. And then the crowd went faster and they nodded ever so slightly to each other as they passed, his elbow surreptitiously sliding slightly by her shoulder as he reached up to adjust his beanie.

 

She had never been more thankful that she could read Jughead so well and that he could read her. They had both received a gift and were being set up by someone, but who? And what should they do about it?

 

She assumed he had a note similar to hers, to meet under the bleachers, but she couldn't be sure. 

 

After pre-cal, Betty had English with Jughead, their only class together, now that he had a new schedule since Southside High had merged with Riverdale. 

 

They were discussing the Outsiders. 

 

Mr. Forey clears his throat “Okay class. To begin our discussion, I'd like to split the class in half and argue the point of Daly’s death and how the circle of light plays into it. Left half of the room is in defence of his decision, right half in opposition. Who would like to go first?”

 

Jughead raises his hand, he's on the left side of the room. 

“Well, after Johnny’s death I think he just couldn't stand the idea of not seeing someone he cared about ever again.”

Betty raised her hand in response, “He chose to die less than twenty four hours after Johnny died, he wasn't making a rational decision.”

“So he shouldn't have gone looking for trouble?” Jughead clarified.  

“Yes, because the rest of the gang was relying on him. He just caused them more heartbreak when he was killed too.” Betty replied.

“What about finding out the truth about Johnny’s murderers? It's true that he wanted to die, but by pulling an unloaded gun, he also brought attention to the conflict between the Eastsiders and the Socs.”

“So you're saying for the sake of truth it's okay to martyr one’s self?” Betty arched her eyebrow.

“It's a pretty common phenomena,” Jughead smirked back.

“So they all should have martyred themselves just to prove a point?”

At this Jughead’s cool exterior turned more intense. “No, one of them was effective.”

At this Betty tilted her head in her  _ give me a break Jug  _ look and said, “why him?”

Mr. Forey interrupted them, “Okay, okay I'm going to stop you both right there. Great discussion, Jughead and Betty, but let's give your classmates a chance to speak.”

While they let their peers argue points in the book, Jughead and Betty were having a wordless conversation.

_ So you want to go see who it is by yourself?  _ Her eyes challenged his and he got the message loud and clear. 

_ Why not? Don't you want to know?  _ He conveyed with a shrug followed by raised brows. 

_ Thinking.  _ Betty nibbled her lip. 

_ I love it when you think.  _ His smirk said. 

_ You're so cheesy.  _ Her rolled eyes responded.  And then she pursed her lips and looked deep into his eyes and slightly nodded.  _ Okay, I'm in. Let's find out.  _

_ I'm going  alone.   _ He saw her determined face and he frowned and shook his head while bringing his hand up to drum his chest. 

_ Think again Jughead Jones  _ she tilted her head to the left and her lips flattened into a straight line. 

_ Fine  _ he relaxed in his chair and rolled his eyes.  _ I can never say no to you.  _ He shook his head with a tiny grin on his face.

 

When English ended, Betty and Jughead were careful to walk out close together, but not conspicuously. “Bleachers?” she mouthed to him. He tapped his nose twice and then his left wrist. She held up all ten of her fingers as if she were examining her nail polish. 

 

True to their plan, Betty and Jughead left the lunchroom ten minutes into lunch and made their way to the football field separately. As they approached, he gestured with his chin so that they went around the bathrooms so that they could get a good look at anyone already under the bleachers.  

 

He was several yards away and got to the hiding place first.  Even though she was expecting him, his arms around her still took her breath away. His jacket was open so her body was flush with his and he smelled like leather and the Old Spice body wash he liked and something new. Something a bit musky that she realized was cigarettes.

“Juggie,” she murmurs into his neck. He pulls away to smile a little, his teeth flashing just enough to make her heart jump.

“Alright, let's see what kind of degenerate would dare to leave me chocolate tainted with fruit inside,” he grimaced. "I knew you would never betray me like that." His gently chucked her chin and then turned thoughtful. "How did you know  it wasn't me?” 

“I know you, Juggie,” and the look on his face was so tender as she looked up at him,  his eyes a bit watery. They leaned in automatically for a kiss, each knowing their beloved needed the connection between their lips. 

She took a step back and gasped, “I know you!”

“Yeah, you just said that,” he teased, he leaned back but left his hands loosely around her back. 

“I know, but that means  _ they  _ don't know you, but they know me. Lillies are my favorite flower. "

“Well, nobody know me like you do, Betts, but yeah, you're right.  It must be someone who knows you pretty well.” 

They peaked around the building finally, inspecting the space under the bleachers. They didn't see anyone, but there was a green, wrapped box with a yellow bow on top sitting on the ground. 

 

Jughead and Betty shared a perplexed look. They waited for a while, but even after another ten minutes, they didn 't hear or see anyone. Their lunch period ended in fifteen minutes and they decided to risk it and approach box.

 

They cautiously approached it, Betty looking around for anyone who might be watching and Jughead’s focus was solely on the box. 

 

He nudges it with his foot and it moves a bit, but nothing else happens. He looks a Betty and she gives him a little nod and he turns his attention back to the box. He lifts the lid and when he sees what's inside he promptly drops the lid and jumps back. 

 

Noticing his reaction, Betty peers into the box and gasps. She reaches for Jughead’s hand and he gives her a little squeeze and then they peer back into the box. Inside, is a decapitated rattlesnake. An envelope is taped to inside of the box, underneath the body of the snake. 

 

Jughead moves the box so the snake falls to the side and he pulls out the envelope.  

 

**_“Kill the snake of doubt in your soul, crush the worms of fear in your heart and mountains will move out of your way._ **

 

**_Seredy said it best, Betty. If you don't remove him from your life, than I will.”_ **

 

When Jughead has finished the note he turns it around, looking for clues but sees nothing out of the ordinary.  

 

Then he looks at Betty and he can see right away that she knows something. 

 

“What is it, Betts? I mean aside from the obvious,” he gestured toward the snake. 

 

“I know who it was, Jug,” she crosses her arms, a clear sign that she's shutting down. 

 

“Who?”

 

“I just...I don't understand. Why would he do this? After everything…”

 

“Who, Betty?” he puts his hands on her shoulders and tries to catch her eyes with his. 

 

“My dad.”

**Author's Note:**

> It's cool if y'all thought this sucked, just tell me so I know what to do better next time! Thank you so so much for reading!


End file.
